If a government worker gets fired for committing a crime, do they lose their pension?

Not necessarily. If the crime did not involve their job, there is a good chance they will keep their pensions even though they’re in prison. In fact why should they. Consider a guy that spent 30 years in the military winning commendations and good conduct ribbons retires then shoots his wife. That in no way reflects on his military service. Why should he loose his pension.

Now consider this, there are people in prison drawing Social Security payments for the disabled because they are socially incapable of dealing with a job and other people without violence. Now that’s a crime!

Well, when the last German President was caught blackmailing a newspaper, he resigned, but he still got all the honours and benefits of regular presidential retirees.
Absolutely outrageous. He should have been drawn and quartered instead.

Yup.
When Nixon resigned, he preserved his pension. If the impeachment had gone through, he would have lost it all.

Here are two articles on what, is happening with Rod Blagojevich’s pensions, at least. He has one that would be coming to him from his time as a U.S. Congressman and one from serving as Governor of Illinois.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-12-07/news/ct-met-blagojevich-pension-20111208_1_blagojevich-pension-pension-officials-general-assembly-retirement-system

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/01/blagojevich-pension-seize_n_1315032.html

I don’t have anything more recent but it looks like if the crimes, at least in this case, were connected to his official state duties, and they were, he won’t be getting his full pension, though apparently he will be entitled to a refund of personal contributions made into the pension fund, minus $20,000 seized to pay a fine.

It appears he will be eligible to collect his federal congressional pension because his crimes were not committed in connection with his duties as a congressman. I don’t know how it works in other cases.

It may depend on what kind of government employee you are and what kind of crime you committed. Whether your crime was connected to your duties or you robbed a liquor store.

It depends on which government you are talking about. Each city, county, and state has its own unique set of employment circumstances.